1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for finishing the sleeves and pressing the body of a shirt in combination with an integrated collar and cuff presser and, more particularly, to concurrently pressing the front and back of a shirt and finishing the sleeves through the use of common sources of steam and pressurized air in combination with an integrated presser for the collar and cuffs of the shirt, with all of the loading and unloading of the shirt being done at a common zone.
2. Description of the Background Art
Presently, in the field of finishing shirts, three separate machines are normally utilized. The first machine is for pressing the collars and cuffs. The second machine is for finishing the sleeves. The third machine is for pressing the body of the shirt. A continuing effort is being made to increase the efficiency of the shirt finishing process by minimizing the number of machines necessary for the finishing and by simplifying the machines. By way of example, consider U.S. Pat. No. 3,654,714 to North directed to a steam-air garment press; U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,106 to Beckett directed to a control system for garment finishing apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,064 to Eubank directed to a garment finishing apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,030 to Uchikoshi directed toward a laundry presser for simultaneously pressing multiple clothing sections; U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,745 to Oberlye directed toward a press and method of making same; U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,962 to Downie directed toward an indexing mechanism for a mannequin carriage having a slidable, pivotable support and index bar moveable by a fluid cylinder for movement between a dressing position and a garment press; and lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,535 to Gill directed toward an indexing system for rotary garment press.
Nothing in the prior art provides the benefits attendant with the present invention.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement which overcomes the inadequacies of the prior art devices and which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the art.
Another object of the present invention is to press the front and back of a shirt while concurrently finishing its sleeves as well as pressing the collar and cuffs of the shirt in an integrated system.
A further object of the present invention is to use a single source of air pressure for holding a shirt on a buck and for finishing the sleeves.
A further object of the present invention is to use valves to divert a constant flow of air between a positive source of pressure to a negative source of pressure.
A further object of the invention is to utilize a common zone for loading and unloading a shirt from a body buck as well as a collar and cuff buck.
It is a further object of the present invention to increase the efficiency, simplicity and safety of shirt finishing machines while reducing the cost through reduced equipment.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for pressing a shirt comprising a shirt buck having a front and a back and opposite lateral sides therebetween and adapted to hold at least the front and back of the shirt in an orientation for being pressed, the shirt buck also including an air and steam inlet and a vacuum outlet; drive means to laterally move the shirt buck between a loading zone and a shirt finishing zone; a pair of chests positioned adjacent to the shirt buck at the shirt finishing zone, the chests being movable between an inoperative position remote from the shirt buck and an operative position proximate to each other and the shirt buck and in pressing contact with a shirt on the shirt buck; drive means to laterally move the chests between the inoperative and operative positions; steam lines coupling the steam inlet to a supply of steam; a supplemental buck having a central section for receiving thereon the collar of a shirt to be pressed and, on opposite sides thereof a pair of lateral sections for receiving thereon the cuffs of a shirt to be pressed with mounting means to support the central and lateral sections for concurrent movement; a plurality of fixed platens including a central platen for receiving therebeneath the collar of a shirt to be pressed with the central section of the supplemental buck therebeneath and with a pair of laterally disposed platens for receiving therebeneath the cuffs of a shirt to be pressed with the lateral sections of the supplemental buck therebeneath; drive means to shift the supplemental buck between the loading zone, the same as for the shirt buck, and a collar and cuffs pressing zone for moving a supported collar and cuffs of a shirt into pressing engagement with the fixed platens and for removing the supplemental buck away therefrom after pressing; and supplemental steam lines coupling the supply of steam to the collar and cuffs pressing zone.
The foregoing has outlined some of the pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.